Fresh Asparagus Soup

This is a great spring soup. Don't skip the lemon-sour cream topping!

1 lb. fresh asparagus
2 c. chicken broth
½ c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
¾ t. fresh thyme, divided
1 T. flour
2 c. 1% low-fat milk
2 t. butter
½ t. salt
½ t. grated lemon rind, divided
½ c. light sour cream
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh thyme sprig

Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Combine asparagus, broth, onion, garlic, and ½ t. thyme in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.

Process asparagus mixture, in batches, in a blender until smooth. Return to pan. Whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to asparagus mixture, whisking until blended. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter, salt, ¼ t. lemon rind and remaining ¼ t. thyme.

Combine sour cream, lemon juice, and remaining ¼ t. lemon rind. Top each serving with about 5 t. sour cream mixture. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze soup (without sour cream mixture) for up to one month.

Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread

From Our Best Bites.com

I made this last night and it was so yummy!

2 c. flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
¼ c. butter, softened
1 ½ c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
2 eggs
1/3 c. plain lowfat yogurt or sour cream
½ c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cups and level. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream sugar and butter. Add bananas, eggs, and yogurt, beating until just blended. Add flour mixture. Beat on low until just moistened.

Microwave chocolate chips in a medium bowl for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Add 1 c. batter to chocolate, stirring until well-combined.

Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter (so you have stripes of plain and chocolate batter) in an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Swirl batters with a knife. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

If you really want something yummy, spread a little peanut butter on top of a toasted (or at least warm) slice.

Cassoulet D'Amore

No, I am not ashamed that my first main dish post is a casserole. Because, let's be honest, although they try to romanticize it by calling it a "cassoulet," we all know a casserole when we see one. But in its defense, it IS the Casserole of Love and Chad did in fact love it. I thought it was...pretty good. I actually made it because my doctor has been on me about eating more protein and between the parm, beans and meat, this little 8x8 wonder packs in a whopping 120 grams of protein! So for all you pregnant or nursing moms out there who need protein, or if you just want to please your husband (or FHE bros), I present the Cassoulet D'Amore.

1 1/4 lbs sweet Italian sausage, thinly sliced (Ashley, I recommend the Sunflower Market's)
6 green onions, sliced
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
14 oz can stewed Italian tomatoes
2, 15 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (next time I would NOT use Italian flat leaf like I did this time)
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup fresh Italian or French breadcrumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sausage, green onions, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute until sausages begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in fresh tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, beans, parsley and seasonings. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into an 8x8 baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over Cassoulet. Bake until Cassoulet is heated through, bubbling around edges and light brown on top, about 35 minutes.

Cookies and Cream Brownies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

This is my first post ever on a blog. I know you are all expecting chocolate from me so I won't disappoint. Chad and I made these brownies last weekend and I think the gist of the recipe is throw-in-whatever-you-can-think-of-that-is-unhealthy. But they were a big success judging by the fact that between 4 people, after a 5 hour evening, there was only one row of brownies left. Woops.

1 box brownie mix (9x13)
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
10 oreo cookies, crushed
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 Tbsp cream peanut butter
3 Tbsp half and half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in oreo cookies until combined. Using a spoon, drop cookies and cream mixture evenly over brownie mix. Gently swirl into brownies using a knife. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about one minute. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. May need to heat for 15-30 seconds more if not smooth. Stir in half and half until glossy then spread over cooled brownies.